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Old School style Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting. Taking a step back into our grandma’s youth with this DELICIOUS butter cake. Picture a buttery vanilla cake layered with rich, fudgy, chocolate frosting in the center. Then topped with the most delectable, roll your eyes back good – brown sugar frosting that’s sweet and creamy with notes of caramel mixed throughout. Sooo much to love here! Every bite is sweet, salty, extra chocolatey, and truly delicious. The perfect cake to enjoy any day of the week, no “celebratory” reasons required.
Taking it back to the old school days with this cake…or at least that’s what it feels like to me! Growing up my mom made cakes religiously. Come Friday night we’d have fresh baked cookies, cake, or some other kind of dessert on the counter without a doubt. She was the queen of the Friday night dessert.
No matter what the dessert was, we’d always eat them a little warm and gooey, just after baking. Oh, and always with a cold glass of milk. Baking in the kitchen with mom on Friday nights was such a special time. More times than not my brothers would be MIA, so it was just mom and me. My memories of those Friday nights are so fond and perfect. To this day, they are some of my favorites.
My mom would often bake up a classic chocolate cake, it was everyone’s favorite. What she wouldn’t bake however was any kind of vanilla cake. They were just not her thing. But, my grandma on the other hand? She’d bake up any flavor of cake…chocolate or vanilla, it just had to be easy.
While I don’t remember the exact cakes my Nonnie would bake, this feels like something she would have happily made. Something about a vanilla butter cake, with a super easy (secret ingredient) chocolate frosting, and a sweet brown sugar icing overtop just feels “old school” to me.
Like something she might have found in one of her Better Homes and Garden Magazine’s back in the day. I can literally picture the torn-out magazine page now…
How many of you have super, super old magazine cutouts your mom gave you with recipes? Please cherish those FOREVER. I wish I had more of them!
When my cousin, Maggie mentioned a butter cake yesterday, I was really curious about the idea. And then I got thinking and loved the idea of doing some kind of “old school” style cake.
So here we are!
And everyone? This cake is GOOD, and it’s even pretty easy.
Here are the details, start with the cake.
Start with the vanilla butter cake. I kind of based this off my tiramisu cake, but with a few adjustments. Either way, it’s easy…just beat the wet ingredients together, add the dry, and then beat in some buttermilk.
I always go heavy on the vanilla with my cakes. It’s KEY, so don’t skimp on it.
The chocolate frosting.
While the cake is cooling, you can start making the chocolate fudge frosting. Now this really IS old school. It’s simply just melted chocolate chips and sour cream. I also added espresso powder, which really highlights the chocolate.
For having just three ingredients, this is some of the most magical frosting. Very creamy, rich, and fudgy. And I love that it’s not too sweet, but just sweet enough.
Now, spread the frosting over one layer of the cake. Add the top layer, then chill the cake while you make the brown sugar icing.
Last thing…the brown sugar icing.
I stole this recipe from my chai cupcakes with brown sugar frosting. It’s the same recipe, only this is melted down into more of an icing/glaze…which yes, also feels very old school.Â
The brown sugar melted down adds hints of warm molasses and really deepens the flavor to create an icing that’s perfectly rich and caramel-like. And when you add a touch of vanilla and sea salt? Well, it’s hard to say no to a second piece. I highly recommend slathering on more icing than you think your cake needs.
Also, you’ll want to swirl on the icing while it’s still warm, once it cools it will stiffen up.
To finish, I topped my cake with chocolate curls and sea salt for a salty-sweet finish.
And that’s it. Honestly, this cake is pretty simple to put together. There are three “steps”, but they’re all very easy. And so very good. Each bite is filled with sweet vanilla butter cake, fudgy chocolate frosting, and sweet caramel-like brown sugar icing.
Best kind of any day cake to bake, no reason required. Although it is my Dad’s birthday today…but he’s not big on celebrating it!
Looking for other easy winter desserts? Here are some favorites:
Brown Butter Malted Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Lastly, if you make this Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 809 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Brown Sugar frosting
- 2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2-3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and line with parchment paper. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stream in the buttermilk, beating until just combined. Pour the batter among the 2 cake pans.3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the center is just set. Let cool 5-10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and invert the cake onto a plate, flip it back over onto a serving plate. Let cool.4. To make the chocolate frosting. Microwave the chocolate chips and a pinch of salt, stirring every 45 seconds, until melted. Stir in the sour cream and espresso, a dollop at a time, until the mixture is smooth. Swirl the frosting onto the top of the cake. Place the second cake layer on top. Run a knife around the side of the cake to clean up any frosting. Chill while you make the brown sugar frosting.5. To make the brown sugar frosting. Melt together the butter, brown sugar, and cream in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved. Add a pinch of salt. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Sift in the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla. Beat until well combined. The frosting should be glossy and pourable. If it feels too runny, add powdered sugar to thicken it.6. Pour the frosting over the cake, spreading around the sides of the cake too. The frosting will set quickly on the cake. If desired top with chocolate curls and sea salt. Slice, eat, and enjoy!!
Notes
Storing:Â this cake keeps well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Chocolate Frosting: adapted from Food 52.
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The cake was dense but moist, which I liked. I may try to use cake flour next time as another commenter suggested. I have two suggestions for others who decide to try this. I noticed that the chocolate fudge frosting was adapted from another recipe. Coincidentally, I had made it before. The key to the best consistency is make sure the chocolate and the sour cream are the same temperature before mixing or you will end up with a grainy, clumpy mess. Test a small bit in a bowl beforehand. That worked like a charm for me. As for the brown butter frosting, I think the key is to refrigerate the mixture before trying to spread it on the cake. When I did that, the consistency and texture were perfect. I used 2 cups of powdered sugar, not 3. I think the cold works better for thickening rather than more sugar. I served the cake at a birthday dinner, and everyone loved it.
Hey Renee,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! xx
This was the first cake I’ve ever made from scratch, so I was quite nervous and intimidated. The instructions were super easy, especially breaking down the ingredients in sections.
The cake was INCREDIBLE!!! I used dark chocolate for the filling, which turned out more like a fudge consistency but that was my own fault. I intensely hate sour cream but trust Tieghan enough to follow instructions. I only used 2/3 cup and should’ve used a whole cup. It still worked and tasted great. The Carmel frosting was better than candy. As a beginner it was a challenge to work with, I should’ve let it cool more. But the end result was a complete success. I’ll definitely make this again.
Thanks for making me look like a pro 😀
Hey there,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I love your recipes. Not sure where I went wrong on this one. The cake batter dripped out of the pans in the oven…a lot. The center was not done & it took a long time to bake. Cake looks a meringue consistency but the flavor of it is phenomenal. It looks way worse when I put the brown sugar frosting on it. Not sure how it will cut easy but all of the flavors together I’m thinking will be a huge hit! Just not sure if everyone will have to grab a spoon and eat it off of one plate. Lol
Hey Denise,
So sorry to hear this! Was there anything you may have adjusted in the recipe? What size cake pans did you use? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Hi, I am planning to bake a cake for the first time and pretty nervous about trying this. I loveeeeee al your recipes and have tried making so many of them 🙂
My only question was what can i substitute buttermilk with?
Hi there,
You can use whole milk in place of the buttermilk. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xTieghan
Omg, you should see how mine ended up…lol (still love baking while high)hehe.
Thanks for giving the recipe a try:)
I’m going to try to make this into cupcakes or cake bites. Any tips or suggestions?
Hey Lynn,
I would just reduce your bake time and check for doneness at 25 minutes. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it!! xTieghan
Made this delicious cake for my sons 30th Birthday. So yummy and we all loved the brown sugar frosting! The fudge center was a little tart but when you got a complete bite with every component, it was a chefs kiss! We all love your recipes and look forward to making more half baked harvest recipes!
Hi Kristine,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend:) xT
I am not the best baker and my cake looked horrible, BUT oh my gosh. It was DELICIOUS!!!
Hi Angela,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xxT
The cake was delicious. The chocolate icing is why I rated it 4 stars. It was too tangy. Next time I’ll use regular chocolate buttercream with just a pinch of espresso powder.
Hey Rita,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Quite possibly one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. Loved the chocolate filling – the sour cream zip with the chocolate is a nice balance for the sweetness of the icing. I found I only needed about 1/2 of the icing on the outside. I used it sparingly since it was so sweet. A little hard to ice the cake since it was so runny – wait about 10 min to let it set a bit before icing the cake. I found letting it run down the sides of the cake while I iced it was the easiest. Definitely making this cake again!
Hey Jen,
Awesome!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I love to hear that it was a hit!! xxT
Can’t wait to make this cake…but how do you make the chocolate curls?
Shave bar chocolate with a vegetable peeler. 🙂
Made the cake twice. The center filling is way too tart for my taste with all that sour cream. The second time I made it I only added two heaping tablespoons and that was plenty. The cake also came out fairly dense with all purpose flour. I replaced it with cake flour the second time around and it came out much fluffier. Also used about 2/3 the amount of caramel frosting- it was plenty. Added some toffee bits to the top along with the chocolate curls- delicious. Overall, the family really likes this one!
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback Brittaney, thanks for making the cake and adjusting to your liking! xTieghan
Hi Kathy,
I use a veggie peeler to make the chocolate curls. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Your cake was truly amazing…….rave reviews from all our guest who now want this recipe! Thanks
Hey Kathy,
Awesome!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a hit. Have the best week:) xx
Cake itself was so great! Hard to find a good yellow cake recipe! I only used 2/3 of the glaze as well…loved the brown butter flavor, added depth to the glaze.
Hi Lisa,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!! ?xTieghan
This looks amazing! One question (sorry if you have addressed this before); I live at 5900 feet and baking is a challenge. Do I need to make any high altitude adjustments with this cake or any of your other baking recipes? I haven’t seen any notes for high altitude so didn’t know if the baking recipes are tested for sea level, high altitude or would work for both. Thank you!!! Love the stunning photos on your site!
Hey Patty,
No adjustments needed, you can follow the recipe as is! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love it! xTieghan
This recipe was sooo amazing! As I just read comments now I realize I wasn’t the only one who wasn’t a big fan of the chocolate centre but I would like to try this with a chocolate buttercream centre instead or something else not overly sweet in the centre. Overall this cake is so moist and the brown sugar glaze… to die for! Thank you for the recipe! Excited to try more of your recipes!
Hi Sarah,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxT
I loved this cake!! I already make a cake with the chippie/sour cream frosting and love the slight tang, even more delicious with the brown sugar glaze! I recommend waiting 10 minutes to cool the glaze before pouring. I also only used 2/3 of the glaze and that seemed like plenty to me!
Hey Julie,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan